A new Heritage Fruit Trees cluster in Wales will be launched next week at an event headlined by a man whose discovery of an ancient apple sparked renewed interest in the country’s forgotten fruit trees.

Bangor nurseryman Ian Sturrock, who helped identify the Bardsey Apple in 1998, will take centre stage at the Celebration of Welsh Heritage Fruit Trees event.

Organised by Glyndŵr University’s Horticulture Wales project in Wrexham , it’s being at held the RSPB Conwy nature reserve on Monday, February 18, 12pm-3pm.

The event will see the launch of the new fruit trees cluster, designed to promote the planting and mapping of orchards across Wales.

Mr Sturrock said: “The discovery of the Bardsey Island Apple created a surge of interest in Welsh heritage fruit varieties.

Read More

“This, in turn, led to the production of juices, cider and other commodities which boosted local jobs and economies.

“Hopefully our reintroduction of the Denbigh Plum , after a gap of 100 years, will lead to a similar revival of interest and job creation in the local area.”

The Bardsey apple and its bloom (Image: Ian Sturrock / WPCS)

First mentioned in literature 1785, it is thought the Denbigh Plum was developed much earlier by medieval monks.

The only native Welsh plum known to have survived the arrival of non-native varieties, its fortunes have been revived in recent years and is now celebrated at an the annual Denbigh Plum festival. It is also grown commercially by Mr Sturrock.